I Wish to Ride the Wind

Chapter 2 – A Name

Throughout Xie Chengfeng’s twenty years of life, he had never been at a complete loss like this.

As soon as he woke up, he had transformed into a bird, and being rubbed in the arms of a girl he didn’t know… He felt like he was about to suffocate.

Obviously, he was still playing polo a moment ago… Yes, polo.

He was playing polo with his friends today, but in the middle of the game, his horse suddenly went mad. He couldn’t control it and fell off the horse. The horse was raised by him, so it was familiar with him. It had a gentle temperament and got along rather well with humans. It was impossible for it to suddenly go mad without any reason. It was most likely someone’s scheme.

Then what about now? What was actually going on? Did he really die or not?

He really hoped that this was all a dream.

Xie Chengfeng finally broke free from the girl’s arms and stood back on the table. He lowered his head and slammed it onto the teapot, talking to himself, “Wake up! Wake up!”

Looking at the deranged bird, Shen Bukuai inexplicably sighed in relief. “Scared me to death, I really thought it was an enlightened spirit.”

Shen Jiajia rested her head on her hand while looking at the parrot, deep in thoughts. Earlier, the bird really startled her by telling her to ‘show propriety’.

Shen Bukuai asked, “Sanniang, where did this mad bird come from?”

Shen Jiajia slowly explained the ins and outs of the matter. When she spoke, her gaze fell on the parrot. She saw that the parrot had stopped hitting its head to the teapot, and tilted its little head instead, as if it was listening her talk.

Could it understand her?

Shen Jiajia’s eyebrows jumped.

How could that be possible, it was just a bird…

“Sanniang, you are really too fearless,” Shen Bukuai said. It was a bit painful for him to have his fat pigeons exchanged for a little mad bird, but since his daughter liked it, sigh, forget it.

Xie Chengfeng thought to himself, it turned out he had possessed this bird.

Then, what about his original body? Was it possible for him to return?

His mind was somewhat in a disorder. The girl was still staring fixedly at him, making him quite uncomfortable. He had no choice but to turn around, letting his butt face her.

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After lunch, Shen Bukuai went out to buy incense candle and joss paper, which he would use to offer his condolences for the deceased. As for condolence money, he would buy it later on the day of funeral.

There were only one person and one bird left in the house. Shen Jiajia held up the parrot, face to face with herself, their line of sight leveled.

Xie Chengfeng looked at her eyes.

She had a pair of almond shaped eyes with distinct black and white, clear and bright, just like the limpid autumn water.

Such a pair of crystal-clear eyes was staring at him quietly, as if passing through his body, looking at his soul.

Xie Chengfeng didn’t like this feeling. He turned his bird face away and unhappily said, “What are you looking at.”

“This honored Sir is rather ugly,” Shen Jiajia said.

Xie Chengfeng didn’t know if he should laugh or cry. He turned his head, glaring at her, he ridiculed, “Not sure which fairy this Excellency is?”

Shen Jiajia suddenly laughed. While laughing, her eyes bent with tiny reflections rippling, just like a soft luster of a gem, and the autumn water had turned into spring water.

She said, “Turns out you really can understand me talking.”

Xie Chengfeng blanked, this troublemaker…

Due to suddenly turning into a bird, he was so muddle-headed he even forgot that it was definitely not a good thing for a bird to be able to communicate with people. He might even be regarded as an evil spirit.

Shen Jiajia propped her chin. Without waiting for him to explain, she blinked and said, “I see.”

Xie Chengfeng disbelievingly thought, what did you see.

Shen Jiajia said, “It is said in the book that some birds and animals have the opportunity to cultivate into daemons and speak human languages. Although I didn’t really believe it before, seeing you today like this, turns out this matter is real. Sure enough, all living things in the world has a spirit.”

Xie Chengfeng fell down to the side. “Sure, whatever you say.”

He currently didn’t plan to tell the truth. He was plotted against by somebody, and the mastermind behind was still unknown. This person was very careful, if this malicious intention were to suddenly appear again, it would be too late for regret.

Besides, even if he said it, no one might believe it.

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Now that the person in front of him had drawn a conclusion, Xie Chengfeng also let the matter go. He bounced a few steps on the table and asked her, “Troublemaker, do you have anything to eat?”

“What did you call me?”

“Troublemaker.”

Shen Jiajia in a well manner said, “My surname is Shen, and my given name is Jiajia. You can call me Sanniang. Oh, by the way, what’s your name?”

“My name is Xie—”

“Xie what?”

“…Xie Bajian[1].”

This name was a bit odd, Shen Jiajia thought, must be because Young Master Zhou liked to eat crabs. This parrot was quite arrogant but said its own name hesitatingly, probably because it didn’t like its name. After figuring out this key point, Shen Jiajia understandingly said, “This name is not good, I will pick you a new one.”

“Oh?”

“Hmm…” Shen Jiajia thought for a while, looking at the two red spots on its cheeks, she smiled and said, “Let’s call you ‘Little Red’, what do you say?”

Xie Chengfeng was quite dissatisfied. “Might as well leave it as Xie Bajian. I already knew for a troublemaker like you—no ivory will come out of a dog’s mouth.”

Shen Jiajia did not get angry being scolded by him, she continued to rack her brain, and suddenly clapped, “I got it!”

“Oh?”

“Today I heard a very pleasant sounding person’s name, and it is very suitable for you. Anyway, that person is dying, so why don’t we just borrow his good name and put it to good use.”

Xie Chengfeng was stunned. “It- it can also be like this?”

“Yup!”

Xie Chengfeng had just wanted to say that they could get struck by thunder, but then he heard her say, “That person is called Xie Chengfeng, his surname is Xie (谢) while your surname is Xie (蟹crab), so you both can be considered as from the same clan. I will call you ‘Chengfeng’ from now on!”

Xie Chengfeng: “……”

Due to this troublemaker’s worrisome character, he had turned into a bird and yet was still able to unexpectedly retrieve his name.

Really, the Heaven is messing with the people ah!

“Is there anything to eat?” Xie Chengfeng asked again. He didn’t want to, but he was unbearably hungry.

Shen Jiajia was a little baffled. There was clearly millet on the table. Did this bird have a poor eyesight? She pushed the millet in front of him, “Isn’t this food?”

Xie Chengfeng felt insulted, “I won’t eat this.”

“Then what do you eat?”

I want to eat what normal people eat.

Xie Chengfeng couldn’t say this clearly, so he only said, “Whatever you eat, I will also eat it.”

Shen Jiajia’s lunch today was mutton steamed buns. She tore the steamed bun’s skin into shreds and put it on her palm, bringing her hand in front of him to feed him.

Xie Chengfeng pecked the crumbs of the steamed buns a few times, turned his head to take a sip of water. While eating he complained, “Taste like bird food[2].”

Shen Jiajia couldn’t help reminding him, “But you are a bird…”

[1] It’s a different Xie than Xie Chengfeng, this Xie in Xie Bajian means crab. Xie Bajian the notorious eight tools used to eat crabs since back in ancient times.

[2] I changed the phrasing since it’s a pun. Raw: 淡出鸟来 – literally means retiring birds came (?); meaning tasteless.